BitSummit 2026 attendance breaks records, increases 17% to 68,208

BitSummit 2026 set a new attendance record at Miyako Messe in Kyoto, reaching 68,208 visitors across three days. That’s a meaningful jump from 58,000 in 2025 and roughly 24,000 back in 2023, so the event has scaled fast rather than just inching upward.

For developers, the practical takeaway is that BitSummit is becoming a bigger deal for visibility and deal-making, especially for indie teams. The business day alone drew nearly 14,000 people, which is notable because it exceeded the first public day attendance from 2023. If you’re planning to show a game, the event clearly has enough traffic now to justify serious prep around booth messaging, demo stability, and meeting scheduling.

The selection process also stayed competitive: 125 general exhibitors were chosen from 548 submissions, and the committee picked 125 titles for Official Selections. Nearly 500 companies were represented overall, so the show is not just about foot traffic; it’s also a concentrated networking space with a lot of publishers, middleware vendors, and dev teams in one place.

BitSummit 2027 is already locked for May 21-23 at the same venue. For teams thinking about next year’s event strategy, this is a reminder that Japan’s indie scene is still expanding and that in-person showcases remain a real lever for discovery, press, and business development.